Creeper. INSESSORES. CERTHIA. 389 



Plate 39- Fig. 2. Natural size. 



The upper mandible of the bill dusky, the lower yellowish- General 

 white. Head and upper parts pale yellowish-brown, in- tio^^"^' 

 termixed with black, brown, and greyish- white. Rump 

 pale gallstone-yellow. The first four quills dusky, the 

 rest having a broad reddish-white band in the middle ; 

 the tips white. Tail yellowish-grey, tinged with brown ; 

 the feathers long, stiff, and acuminated. Above the eyes 

 is a whitish streak. Throat, breast, and belly, white, 

 passing towards the vent into pale ochreous-yellow. 

 Legs and toes yellowish-brown. 



Genus TROGLODYTES, Cuv. WREN. 



GENERIC CHARACTERS. 



Bill slender, slightly compressed, curved, or rarely strait. 

 Nostrils basal, oval, half-covered by an arched and naked 

 membrane. Wings short, rounded, having the first quill 

 very short ; second considerably shorter than the third ; 

 fourth and fifth of equal length, and the longest in each 

 wing. Tail short, rather rounded, and carried erect. Legs 

 strong. Tarsus of the same length as the middle toe ; toes 

 three before and one behind ; the outer toe joined at its base 

 to the middle one ; the outer and inner ones of equal length ; 

 the hind toe long, and armed with a strong hooked claw. 



After an attentive consideration of the character and habits 

 of our Common Wren, as well as those of its American con- 

 geners, I agree with Mr Swainson in the propriety of re- 

 moving them from the Sylv'iadee, amongst which they have 

 hitherto been arranged, and placing them as an aberrant 

 group in the scansorial family of the Certhiadfe. The plu- 

 mage of the different species is plain, and mostly confined to 

 shades of brown. Their form is short and thick. They are 

 birds of retired habits, and are usually seen solitary, or in 



